


Broken but Alive

by angelicneonanime



Series: Adopted Vessels AU [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Everyone Is Alive, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-28 22:19:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17191343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelicneonanime/pseuds/angelicneonanime
Summary: A fic inspired by Zefive on tumblr. They had an AU where the broken vessel was still alive and Oro adopts them





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zefive](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zefive/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Adopted Vessel AU](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/444056) by Zefive. 



Oro had left his brothers long ago, yet he still hadn't found a place he could call his home. He had sworn he wouldn't return to Dirtmouth and so he traversed the many dangerous paths of Hallownest in order to find a simple place to exile himself to. He knows what he had done to his brother was wrong, but Mato would have to wait until he could get what he wanted and so Oro decided leaving was the best course of action.

By this time Oro was in the Ancient Basin but he couldn't tell how long he had been down here or where he was going. It was frustrating to say the least. 

As he started his way down a long hallway, it only served to aggravated him further. When would this hallway end?

At long last he reached the end of the path, but seeing what was in the room had him standing frozen in place. In front of him was a small figure sitting hunched forward with their arms around their legs. Their tattered cloak wrapped tightly around their body as they softly shook.

_ Is that a child….? _

Surprised at his discovery, Oro had taken a step back, a slight crunch was heard as he had brought his foot down, gaining the attention of the small figure. 

The small figure looked up, startled. Oro could see black, inky tears flowing freely from their cracked mask. Seeing the nailmaster standing at the doorway, they bolted up and quickly took a fighting stance, their hands gripping their worn nail tightly while their legs shook unsteadily.

Not wanting to start a fight, Oro tries to placate the bug, but before he could say anything the small figure attacked. Now Oro may not be as talented as Sheo, but he is a nailmaster and he knows how to defend himself. In a blink of an eye the fight was over. Oro had the child pinned beneath him in a one handed grip, the child's nail was flung to the other side of the room. Tears were flowing faster now as the child clawed at the arm pinning them down.

“Calm down,” he grumbles. “I am not your enemy.”

Once the child realizes they aren't strong enough to get Oro off of them, they lay limply, fear can be seen in their eyes as well as a sort of acceptance.

“I won't hurt you,” Oro says as he slowly eases his weight off them. 

Still too scared to move, the child stays still until Oro is completely off them, then they scramble away into a corner, grabbing their nail in the process. They curl into themself as they stare face to face with the nailmaster. 

Sighing, Oro sits down and begins to meditate. This child poses no threat to him and he wasn't about to force the kid to interact with him, so he waits patiently.

Slowly the child inches closer to him. When Oro turns to look at them, they freeze for a second but then continue forward. Once they're within arms reach, they sat down next to Oro. Still a little wary of the stranger, they clutched their nail to their chest as they eyed him carefully.

Huffing in amusement, Oro looked back at them calmly. 

“May I ask you your name?”

Startled by the question, the child backed away slightly and turned their head from side to side.

“No I can't ask you your name? Or no you can't say your name?” 

They shrugged which caused Oro to huff again.

“Well little one for now how about I tell you my name. I am called Oro. I was once a great nailmaster along side my brothers but I have decided to leave that life behind me and find a new place to call my own. I am sorry to have disturbed you before but I will now take my leave if that's okay with you.”

Standing up, Oro started to make his way back when he suddenly felt a slight tug on his cape. Turning his head, he saw the child holding onto him and staring up, tears threatening to flow once again.

Oro knew he couldn't leave them here by themself but he couldn't take them with him….could he? It doesn't seem like anyone was around to take care of them and they seemed too tired and beaten up to take care of themselves. 

Sighing in defeat he said, “I don't wish to leave you here by yourself so would you care to come with me?”

They nodded enthusiastically. Everyone they had encountered had always tried to harm them, this was the first time that anyone had shone them kindness. They weren't about to pass up this opportunity. 

Once Oro got the confirmation he needed, he set back out towards the long hallway, the child following closely behind.

_ I hope that they don't get too attached. This is only temporary. I promise that once I get them back on their feet and find myself a new home, they can go on their way. _

It's a shame that Oro was never good at keeping promises.


	2. I guess I just adopted this child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little something I wanted to add based off another post by Zefive

It had been a few weeks since Oro had picked up the broken vessel and made a home for himself at the far end of the Kingdom’s Edge. Since then, the child had recovered fully and had basically become a constant part of Oro's life.

Oro had told himself everyday that it was time to let the kid go on his way, and everyday Oro would stop himself from saying anything to them. They seemed happy living with him, he didn't want to ruin their happiness. A part of him had also felt attached the youngling, although he would never admit it. 

Still, another part of him felt guilty for having the young vessel with him. Maybe they were still here because they felt that they had to repay him somehow? Wouldn't they be happier living elsewhere?

Shaking those thoughts out of his head, Oro got himself out of bed and started getting ready for the day. Once his armor was put on he reached beside him for his cape, only to find that it was not there.

_ Odd, I know I had left it here before retiring for the night. Where could it be? Maybe the training yard? _

Leaving his home, he walked towards the area in which he had set up a training dummy, only to find the vessel drowning in his cape. The child was walking around in a very businesslike fashion while they made very dramatic gestures with their arms, the cape dragging on the floor as they moved.

“So that's where my cape had gone to.”

Startled at being caught, the vessel quickly turned to look at Oro, embarrassment written all over their face. They went to take it off when Oro put a hand up to stop them.

“It's fine. If you want to play with it go ahead, just make sure to take good care of it.”

They simply stared up at him with wide eyes before hugging his leg tightly. Oro turned his head away as to not be caught smiling. Letting go of his leg, the child swiftly turned on their heel and started running, only for them to trip on the hem of the cape and fall flat on their face.

Concerned, Oro quickly walked over to them to make sure they were alright. Tears were already starting to form causing Oro to sigh softly.

Taking the cape off the vessel and putting it back around his shoulders, Oro helped them off the ground.

“Let's go back inside for now, little one.”

Still holding his hand, the vessel nodded and wiped away any tears that had spilled. Once inside, Oro let go of their hand and had settled on the floor to meditate. Seeing that the vessel was still standing at the doorway he patted the space next to him. Happy that Oro wanted them to sit with him, they snuggled close. Oro lifted the cape up and covered their body, patting their head softly.

Warm and content, the child slowly drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because of the comments from the last chapter I really want to write about the other nailmasters with kids of their own. But also I need a name for the Broken Vessel cuz I hate referring to them as 'child' and 'young vessel' everytime

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really sorry if this fic is bad cuz I wrote this in 5 mins and I didn't bother to double check anything. I just really wanted to write down this fic cuz I love this au so much. Idk if I'll continue it tho


End file.
